Rooftop Rendez-vous
by Thatoneloserkid
Summary: deanoru prompt: au where karolina is head cheerleader and captain of all the clubs and Nico is goth af but they're secretly dating


Karolina had never actually spoken to the girl, she was too scared to, which, in concept, was crazy. She was the head cheerleader, she shouldn't be afraid to talk to anyone, but this girl was different.

It wasn't being of her bristly exterior and dark clothing that scared Karolina, like it did every one else in the school.

No, what scared Karolina is how Nico made her feel. How she felt every time Nico looked at her, even if it was just a passing glance, her eyes barely making contact with Karolina, she found herself blushing, her tummy churning.

And she had heard 'locker room talk' about other girls would the school, and how some of the cheerleaders would sneer about how they were 'obviously dykes' which hurt. Between that and her mother Karolina buried herself so far in the closet that she resigned herself to never coming out.

The whole thing that triggered their relationship was purely accidental.

It was one of the fundraiser nights at the school and Karolina's parents were being so overwhelming that Karolina had to just take a walk.

She rounded one of the corners and ended up barrelling into someone. Without even looking up she quickly apologised (because this wasn't school and she didn't have it in her to put on that mean act right now) and knelt down to pick up the person's phone.

When she looked up she froze, her mouth open a little when she noticed Nico staring down at her, obviously annoyed.

"Hi," Karolina breathed out.

"Are you going to get up?"

"Right," Karolina felt like all the air just left her lungs as she slowly stood, holding the phone out to Nico. "I'm sorry, I didn't- I just had to get away."

"Must be hard being fawned over by everyone." Nico murmured sarcastically.

"Yeah, in front of people, maybe. But when no one is around my mom is just on my back constantly." Karolina grumbled. "You have to be better, Karolina. Smile more, Karolina. What do you mean you got an A, Karolina, we only get A-pluses in this family."

Nico looked surprised at the outbursts, her eyebrows raised and her lips hooked up into a small smile.

Karolina blushed, ducking her head. "What about you? Why are you wandering?"

"I had to get away, too."

"Oh," Karolina nodded, licking her lips nervously. "Well, if you like, we could go somewhere? Maybe the roof or something."

"The roof?" Nico frowned. "Isn't that against the rules?"

"If we get caught."

This made Nico frowned, her head tilting curiously. "Okay, sure."

Karolina didn't care that this made her grin widely, or that Nico looked at her funny when she did.

They ended up up on the roof, sitting on the edge in silence.

"Is this something you do often?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, this place is suffocating."

"Must be hard, being loved by everyone."

Karolina sighed softly. "You ever feel like everyone expects you to be one thing but that's just not who you are? Like, you become a person not because it's what you want but because you want to please everyone else?"

"Who are you really, then?"

"I don't know," Karolina admitted. "I've been pretending for so long."

"Pretending is exhausting," Nico said, "Whether it is lying about who you are or if you're okay, it really takes it out of you."

Karolina glanced up from her feet briefly. "Are you okay?"

"About as okay as you are,"

That made Karolina laugh, her head bobbing at those words.

They spent a good hour up there, alternating between talking and sitting in silence but it was nice, just to have someone to talk to who didn't expect anything from her.

They went their separate ways as soon as they left the room, acting like it never happened.

She didn't speak to Nico again until Wednesday of the following week. She got another A in biology, which was the best score in the class but there was a voice in her head that told her it just wasn't good enough.

She headed up to the roof, stopping when she opened the door and seen Nico there, sitting on the floor with her back to the wall surrounding the edge of the roof.

Karolina didn't really know how to react, so she just stared.

"Bad day?" Nico asked, her head resting back against the wall.

"I got an A in biology," Karolina said, moving closer to Nico.

Nico, unlike everyone else, didn't scoff and tell her an A was amazing. She hummed sympathetically, nodding to the space beside her. "I would offer you help but I'm getting C's in biology."

"I could help you, if you'd like." Karolina offered. "They say the best way to learn is to teach it to other people, right?"

"Sure," Nico agreed, give Karolina a smile she had never seen from Nico and, man, did it give her butterflies.

Karolina helped Nico out with biology, at the library near Nico's place, where they knew no one would see them, and they met a few more times on the roof. With each passing day they spent together she could feel Nico warming up to her and, sure, this was exactly what she wanted but it was a little overwhelming.

Nico was more incredible then Karolina ever dreamed and she could feel herself falling more and more In love with her with every passing second.

So when Nico kissed her, on the roof during the Valentine's Day ball, Karolina had to brace herself against the wall.

"Was that okay?" Nico asked unsurely when they broke apart, eyeing Karolina, whose hand was gripping tightly onto the wall.

"So okay," Karolina gasped out.

"I've wanted to do that for a little while now, but I wasn't sure if you were interested until the tonight," Nico admitted. "I've never had anyone look at me like you do."

"How do I look at you?"

"Like I'm the only person in the world you see,"

"You are," Karolina whispered.

"Do you want to get out of here? We can go back to my place."

They cuddled in bed that night then sat down to talk about it the following day, decided to keep it under wraps for now, with Karolina's team and her mother, and Nico's parents and the fact she was supposed to be this 'I don't give a fuck' goth.

Karolina didn't mind much, there was something giddy about sneaking around school with Nico, stolen kisses in the bathroom, fleeting touches in the hallway, rendez-vous on the roof.

There was one day that Chase seemed to give her extra attention, which obviously caught Nico's attention because she backed Karolina into the bathroom stall, pressing her against the door and her hands finding their way under Karolina's pleated skirt, resting over the curve of her butt.

"Chase means nothing to me." Karolina breathed out between kisses. "You know that, right?"

"Doesn't mean I can't be a little jealous when I see some brainless jock fawning over you." Nico growled.

"I suppose it's comforting to know you care enough to be jealous," Karolina said, resting her forehead against Nico's.

"I do care, I really care." Nico looked at Karolina with soft eyes. "You never doubt that, do you?"

"No," Karolina answered, and it was true, Nico always made her feel special. "No, never."

"Good," Nico smiles, using her thumb to wipe at Karolina's lips. "You should start wearing black lipstick."

Karolina laughed, wiping her lips. "See you tonight? At the library?"

"You will," Nico promised, giving Karolina one last kiss before leaving her to fix the black smudges on her lips. Calling over her should be for leaving, "I love that skirt, by the way."

The sneaking around went on for a few months, and it was almost too easy, no one suspected the sunny, church girl was fooling around with the dark, goth girl.

She knew they would talk about it when they were ready to come out, which was why it was odd that Nico approached her in a crowded hallway one day (the day had started off odd enough, with everyone staring a little more than usual) and gripping her arm, dragging her toward the library.

"Nico," Karolina started unsurely, but stopped when Nico thrusted a photo in her face.

"This was your girls who done this,"

Karolina took the photo, her heart kicking up so fast that that was all she could hear, the sound of her heart beat and this weird buzzing.

It was a photo of her a Nico at the library, faces only inches apart. You could only see Karolina's face and she had this wide smile on her lips, her eyes were just filled with the unmistakable look of love.

"How did you- where did you find this?"

"They were pinned up all over the school." Nico's anger seemed to fade when she noticed how pale Karolina was looking. "Karo, babe? Are you okay?"

"I- I need to sit down." Karolina stumbled back and I to a chair, her head falling I to her hands. "My mom, god only knows what she is going to say."

"We have to deal with school first,"

"I have practice first thing," Karolina said. "How am I supposed to face them?"

"With your head held high and your shoulders back. You're the head cheerleader, you are in charge."

"I can't just go in there," Karolina was starting to panic now. "You haven't heard the things they say about people like me, Nico."

"I know, and that sucks, but it's something we knew we would have to deal with, eventually."

Karolina's stomach was in knots as she made her way into the locker room, her chin high.

"Karolina,"

The way her name was drawled made her stomach twist in anger.

"What kind of b-list teen movie stunt was this?" Karolina frowned, balling up the photo and throwing it at Claire.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the smirk on her face told Karolina that that was a blatant lie. "I have seen it, though. I never thought you would be like... that."

"Like what? Happy? In love with someone who loves me back... I think." Karolina frowned for a second before returning her glare to Claire. "I may be gay but you're a walking cliche of high school cheerleader and what you seem to have forgotten is that I run this squad, my mommy and daddy are big donors to the cheerleader and football teams. How much do you like your chances up against coach when you tell her I've been picking on you? Who do you think she was side with?"

"Picking on me? You haven't been."

"No, not yet." Karolina hummed, clicking her fingers. "Girls, towels here."

Karolina smirked when towels began falling at Claire's feet.

"I expect these all clean by tomorrow."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not your lacky."

"You're whatever I say you are." Karolina said. "I hope you're proud of yourself for this. People have killed themselves over this kind of stuff. Not me, not Nico, because we're happy, and we have people who have our backs. But this kind of stuff kills people, Claire."

Karolina turned to leave but Claire spoke before she could. "You never know, it might run in the family and your dyke girlfriend's sister killed herself."

Karolina blacked out for a second and when her eyes re-focused her hand was throbbing and Claire was clutching her nose.

Karolina blinked a few more times, rubbing her throbbing hand. "She's bi," Karolina murmured before leaving.

It wasn't long until she was called it the principals office.

When Karolina entered the waiting area she couldn't help the little smile that pulled into her lips when she saw Nico there.

Nico glanced up, doing a double take, smiling softly at her girlfriend.

Karolina took a seat, holding up her bruised hand. "Punched someone,"

Nico laughed, holding up her own hand. "Me, too."

"Who?"

"Dumb jock, you?"

"Dumb cheerleader."

Nico smiled, her hand sliding onto Karolina's thigh. "We're going to be okay,"

"I know," Karolina smiled, sliding her hand into Nico's. "Hey, you remember that first night we spoke?"

"Of course,"

"You remember I asked if you were okay and you said you were about as good as I was?" Karolina stared down at their joined hands.

"Mhm?"

"Has that changed?" Karolina asked. "Are you doing any better?

"I am, that's partially down to you. You have made my feel special, you have made me believe that I am capable of a lot of things I never thought possible. You have made me a better person, and I will carry that with me forever." Nico have Karolina's hand a little squeeze. "Why?"

"No reason," Karolina shrugged. "Just something I was thinking about."

Nico nodded. "Do you want to go to your parents tonight, tell them everything?"

"Okay," Karolina agreed

Sure, sneaking around was exhilarating but watching Nico as she unloaded her bag into her locker and knowing she could go up and kiss her filled her with so much love.

Karolina could heard some of the girls on the squad whispering behind her, but she ignored them, marching over to Nico, who turned when she was a few steps away.

"Hey, b-"

Karolina cupped Nico's cheeks and and kissed her gently, smiling when she felt Nico melt against her, her hands coming up to grip onto that horrible blue and yellow letterman she was wearing.

Karolina pulled back, smiling softly down at Nico. "Good morning,"

"It really fucking is," Nico breathed.

"Walk you to class?"

"We are in the same class," Nico laughed.

"Is that a yes?" Karolina kinked an eyebrow, taking a step back and holding her hand out to Nico.

"You're a dork sometimes." Nico rolled her eyes, taking Karolina's hand.

"You love it,"

"I do," Nico agreed with a soft smile, on hand clasped in Karolina's and the other holding onto Karolina's forearm as they walked.


End file.
